1. Field of the Described Embodiments
The described embodiments relate generally to computing devices such as laptop computers, tablet computers, and the like. More particularly, circuit board connection schemes are described.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, portable computing devices such as laptops, PDAs, media players, cellular phones, etc., have become small, light and powerful. One factor contributing to this reduction in size can be attributed to the manufacturer's ability to fabricate various components of these devices in smaller and smaller sizes while in most cases increasing the power and or operating speed of such components. The trend of smaller, lighter and powerful presents a continuing design challenge in the design of some components of the portable computing devices.
One design challenge associated with the portable computing device is the design of the enclosures used to house the various internal components. This design challenge generally arises from a number conflicting design goals that includes the desirability of making the enclosure lighter and thinner, the desirability of making the enclosure stronger, and making the enclosure more aesthetically pleasing. Within the enclosure, power and data connections need to be established between the various internal components with considerations of the packing efficiency and ease of assembly.
Typically, the portable computing device will have one or more enclosure components where each enclosure component has some external profile with a ‘thickness’ that is relatively constant. Various internal components can be distributed within the external profile of each of the enclosure components. To improve the packing efficiency, the internal components can be located at various heights within the thickness of each enclosure component. Numerous data and power connections can link the internal components. Since two internal components can be situated at different heights, the data and power connections are needed to traverse the height difference to link the two components.
A connection between two internal components of different heights is often accomplished using a flexible cable often referred to as “flex.” As an example, flex can be used to connect two circuit boards at different heights where each circuit board includes a connector that is compatible with connectors on each end of the flex. The use of flex requires extra connectors and more assembly steps, which increases costs. In view of the foregoing, there is a need for improved internal component connection schemes.